Guppy – The Many Coloured Millionsfish
Discovered by Robert John Lechmere Guppy in Trinidad in 1866, this tiny fish with the wonderfully vibrant tail is today one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. They are also called millionsfish.
It is a small member of the Poecilidae family (females 4-6 centimetres long, males 2½–3½ centimetres long) and like all other members of the family, is live-bearing.
Native to India, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Venezuela, guppies have been introduced to many different countries on all continents, except Antarctica. The idea behind introducing them to the various regions was more as a means of mosquito control, with the intention that they would eat the mosquito larvae and slow down the spread of malaria, but in a number of case, the guppies have had a negative impact on the native fish faunas.
While wild-type females are grey in body colour, males have splashes, spots, or stripes that can be yellow, orange, blue, red, black, or even purple. Unfortunately, these small, beautiful, peaceful, lively and curious fish are often bred for their natural color, so over the years the domestic guppy has grown weaker, and hence need quite a bit of care. They may not survive changes in temperature or pH values.
Guppy variations include Veiltail guppy, Lacetail guppy, Lyretail guppy, Flagtail guppy, Bottom and Double swordtail guppy, Long fin guppy, Fantail guppy, Red tail guppy, Triangle tail guppy, Rounded guppy, Fancy guppy, Tuxedo guppy, Glass guppy, Grass guppy, Mosaic guppy, King Cobra guppy, Snakeskin guppy, Peacock guppy, etc.
Feeding your Guppy
Guppies should be fed once or twice a day, and you should give them just enough food that is finished in a few minutes. Guppies have small stomachs and can only consume a little bit of food at one feeding which is why more feed work better. A flake food diet is a good base for the Guppy, but you should ideally supplement it with live food. While your Guppy will survive on flake food alone, the live food makes the Guppy more well-nourished and healthier. Live or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, micro worms, fruit flies, mosquito larvae, daphnia and chopped up earthworms can also be fed to your Guppy.
Tank Setup
Being pretty peaceful and sociable, Guppies can do pretty well in a community tank, provided that the other fish do not nip at their fins. Since that is usually the case, a species tank works better for the guppy.
Make sure you have a school of these, and you’ll have a tank that is perpetually vibrant and full of colours. Never keep a single guppy – it would be criminal. Keep plenty of plants, rocks and branches to provide the guppies with hiding places. Use gravel for the base.
Guppy Facts
Common Names: Guppy, Guppies, Millionsfish
Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
Family: Poeciliidae
Origin: Central America, Trinidad, India, etc.
Care Level: Easy, good for freshwater beginners
Tank Size: Minimum 10 gallons
Tank Region: Prefer the mid tank
Adult Size: females 4-6 centimetres long, males 2½–3½ centimetres
Gender: Females are drab, while males are bright colored
Temperature: 70°F – 77°F
Social skills: Need to be kept in schools. Peaceful, good for community tank as long as other tankmates do not eat them.
Breeding: Livebearers. Fairly easy to breed
Feeding: Omnivore, they will eat many fish foods including flakes, freeze dried and live foods.
